Month: February 2018

Fipronil is nothing new. It’s been in fields and applied for along time, but it’s use has diminished in the last decade or so, partly because it is extremely toxic to bees. But today we want to alert you to an exposure you may not consider for your bees.

Fipronil is the active in pet flea meds, like Advantage. It works using a very small amount (a testament to how effective it really is). But that efficacy can harm your bees, and you may have hemolymph on your hands for it.

We don’t think about flea meds, except once a month. We apply it, and it “goes away.” But it does not go away. It’s there working, and you can transfer small amounts to your hands when you pet your dog or cat. That small amount is not enough to hurt your whole bee colony, not at all. But if you pet your dog, then go handle your queen, you can cause real damage.

If you use these products on your dog or cat, keep them away from your hives. Wash your hands before you work in your hives. Make sure your bee gloves remain free from these products.

This month Dan Weaver is the Valentines treat for the Trinity Valley Beekeepers Association in Dallas, TX.

Dan will be speaking about raising strong resistant stock in the face of modern beekeeping challenges. Dan has been selecting for varroa resistance since the 1990’s, and runs BeeWeaver Apiaries, producing bees raised free of miticides, pesticides, and any chemical control measures.

Dan comes from a long beekeeping tradition and is a clear authority on all things honey bees. He received his PhD in Molecular Biology from University of California and his JD from University of Texas. He is past-president of the Texas Beekeepers Association and the American Beekeeping Federation, and has served on many pollinator/bee/beekeeping committees at a national and international level. He has also been an author on numerous papers pertaining to bees, covering topics ranging from the impact of in-hive pesticides to the mapping of the honey bee genome.

The Trinity Valley Beekeepers Association meetings every second Tuesday at 7 PM at The Point on the campus of C. C. Young, 4847 W. Lawther Dr., Dallas (map)

Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA) is a national organization that supports independent family farmers and protects a healthy and productive food supply for American consumers. FARFA promotes common sense policies for local & diversified agricultural systems, and is an advocate for independent farmers, ranchers, livestock owners, and homesteaders, as well as the consumers who support them. By protecting independent producers, we protect the safety, quality, and availability of our food.

FARFA has created a survey to help understand what is important to beekeepers in order to propose better beekeeping regulations in the State of Texas.

Below is a post from FARFA used with permission.

Please take the time to read and participate in the survey.

MAKE YOUR OPINION KNOWN!!

Did you know that Texas’ beekeeping regulations have not been significantly changed in more than six decades?

Over the past year, Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance has been working with Texas beekeepers who requested our assistance to update those regulations.

Because of the essential role bees play in making sure we have fresh, nutritious foods, this is an issue not only for beekeepers, but for farmers and consumers.

With the assistance of a number of beekeepers, we created a survey to gather information that will help us draft proposed changes to existing regulations. While the survey is primarily designed for beekeepers, it includes a shorter section for anyone who is concerned about protecting bees.

Whether or not you fall into the category of beekeeper or “bee supporter,” we encourage you to share this email with others so they can participate. Getting as much data as possible, particularly from beekeepers, will help us draft recommendations that are of the greatest benefit possible.